Sell the SC V8 and get a family wagon advice.

[menno]

So then, the time has come....

I currently drive a 2003 Jaguar S Type R, which i have owned for nearly 1 year. I love this thing! I've had a whole array of cars in the past from sheds to kitcars, golf GTIs, wrx impreza, BMW 528 etc..., however, this is the only car i have ever loved!

It does everything perfectly; comfort, speed, handling, reliability, wafting gracefully and to top it off, it has a lovely supercharged V8 noise...hmmmmmmm My family situation has changed recently with an addition of a newborn. On top of this i am redeveloping my house. Once the baby and buggy are in the car there is no more space for luggage/shopping. Additionally, i often go to the builders merchants to collect materials and am reluctant to put them in my car incase i damage the interior.

I am now sadly looking to sell the Jag and get a new vehicle. Jag will be going to dad so i can still borrow it once in a while
I need some advice from you guys on a new suitable vehicle.

I have very specific requirements:
- Price: £6000 - £8000
- Type: Preferably a 4x4/SUV (Dont want an estate car)
- Age: not so important
- MPG: 30-35
- Space: I would prefer something very large where the rear seats fold down fully flat.
- !Reliability! Even though i am a pretty handy home mechanic.

I have been considering the Jeep Commander. This seems to fit my requirements, however i am struggeling to find any alternatives within this price bracket... I am completely lost as i am looking for something which i am not passionate for.

All comments appreciated apart from the ones which are not.

M

[menno]

Fogot to add:
- Not interested in Vito/VW type family vans or people carriers, or estate cars, or hyundai and other generic vehicles...

[inman999]

Subaru Forester or Volvo XC90

[menno]

I do love the Forester but only in full blown Turbo spec, which is not something i can consider at this point.

The XC90, Toureg, Discovery are all up for consideration.

[CYMR0]

How about a people carrier? Show the world proof of your virility etc...

Okay, it's actually a Ford S-Max; not especially sexy but compared to the Jeep, it does comfort, speed, handling, reliability and wafting gracefully far better - and to top it off, and a lovely turbocharged 5-cyl noise:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Ford-S-MAX-2-5T-Tit...

[Fleckers]

nissan Pathfinder ?
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

[Contigo]

Word of advice, I went from a fast estate to a 4x4 and regretted it. Fine it was whilst the kids were at the age of buggies but then I craved a fast estate again and finally managed to get back into one.

4x4's are fine but offer very little fun and involvement (even the Cayenne S and X5's etc..)

[shoehorn]

Fleckers said:

nissan Pathfinder ?
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Very poor fuel consumption.

[menno]

A Ford S-Max.... even though this is a sensible option this really lacks any kind of appeal. This is going to be a tough search.

I just spotted a Chevy Suburban with a 5.3 V8 which could be lpg'd. I have driven one of these in Iraq in 2011 and it was pretty good, although a bit slow due to the armouring. I know i may look like a pimp in one of these, however it would beat your average run of the mill (big) box on wheels.

I think i will have to adjust my search requirements to add a certain 'je ne sais quoi', 'sense of theatre', something a little oddball.

[Bill]

Contigo said:

Word of advice, I went from a fast estate to a 4x4 and regretted it. Fine it was whilst the kids were at the age of buggies but then I craved a fast estate again and finally managed to get back into one.

4x4's are fine but offer very little fun and involvement (even the Cayenne S and X5's etc..)

And you're unlikely to get as much as 30mpg out of one.

Get a tow bar and trailer for those rare occasions you need loads of space.

[Contigo]

Bill said:

And you're unlikely to get as much as 30mpg out of one.

Get a tow bar and trailer for those rare occasions you need loads of space.

Yep, I can get just as much in the M5 as I could in the X5.

[menno]

I get your point regarding the fast estate. I have this strange psychological idea that if i have a fast estate (M5, RS6, other) i will refuse to put building materials inside as i will get too attached to it.

The trailer idea is good, however it involves hassle attaching trailers which i dont want to deal with. Somewhere out there is the perfect car... We'll find it. Perseverance.

[Dimski]

Contigo said:

Word of advice, I went from a fast estate to a 4x4 and regretted it. Fine it was whilst the kids were at the age of buggies but then I craved a fast estate again and finally managed to get back into one.

4x4's are fine but offer very little fun and involvement (even the Cayenne S and X5's etc..)

With you on this one.

I went from an XJR to an XF diesel and didn't regret it.

From the XF into an X3 and I regret it. I don't really know why, the X3 is good enough and has already managed where the others would have been/were defeated, but I'm just not warming to it.

[Voguely]

menno said:

I have very specific requirements:
- Price: £6000 - £8000
- Type: Preferably a 4x4/SUV (Dont want an estate car)
- Age: not so important
- MPG: 30-35
- Space: I would prefer something very large where the rear seats fold down fully flat.
- !Reliability! Even though i am a pretty handy home mechanic.

Early L322 Range Rovers (2003 onwards) are now falling into this price bracket. You won't get that mpg from the V8 petrol ones, but might get it if driven carefully/mostly motorways with the V6 diesels. I've got a petrol one and its a great all round car, tons of space, very comfortable and suprisingly fast. One thing to look out for on the diesels though is the failing gearboxes - if you can find one thats had a refurb or new box then you should be onto a winner.

[crostonian]

Re the Jeep Commander I'm fairly sure that the 3rd row of seats can't be folded or removed - OK they can by a mechanic but they aren't designed to be by the user

[jebus]

The early l322 don't have a v6 diesel, do have the 3 litre BMW straight six engine from that time, but have fragile gearbox's with around an 80-100k life expectancy, the 4.4 petrol V8's are around that price bracket now and unless you worry about mpg a lot with about 17-20 mpg are a bargain for what you get.

[deltashad]

Volkswagen Touareg 2.5 TDI

Still looks quite fresh, huge interior, seats (almost) fold flat, well built returns a decent mpg.

[GreatGranny]

You'll struggle to get 30+ from an XC90 unless its on a motorway or D/C.

Also going from an Alhambra I was surprised how much smaller they are inside and the high tailgate makes loading heavy stuff a hassle.
But I love driving it and it tows out 1500kg caravan superbly.

Just don't drive it like your S Type it will fall over :-)

What about an Outlander?

Friends have one and rate it highly.

[Bill]

menno said:

The trailer idea is good, however it involves hassle attaching trailers which i dont want to deal with. Somewhere out there is the perfect car... We'll find it. Perseverance.

Trailers are less hassle than not having 400bhp under your right foot. The "perfect" car is hugely compromised once you start wanting to lug building materials about, and you could solve the problem for a few hundred quid without having to drive a slow, thirsty, wobbly PoS every day.

[PaperCut]

menno said:

I have very specific requirements:
- Price: £6000 - £8000
- Type: Preferably a 4x4/SUV
- Age: not so important
- MPG: 30-35
- Space: I would prefer something very large where the rear seats fold down fully flat.
- !Reliability! Even though i am a pretty handy home mechanic.

Lexus RX?